


Let The Element Games Begin

by AngelWithAStory, BlackHeartXX



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: Alternate Reality, Book 1, Breaking The Rules
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-12-20
Updated: 2013-01-12
Packaged: 2017-11-21 18:24:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,772
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/600781
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AngelWithAStory/pseuds/AngelWithAStory, https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackHeartXX/pseuds/BlackHeartXX
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Katniss Everdeen is a firebender. So is her younger sister, Primrose, and her best friend: Gale. Gale's always told her she has the 'fire in her eyes' when she's depressed or desperate. Luckily, neither of them know what it really means.<br/>Or things might not have turned out like this...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Fire Nation

**Author's Note:**

> You need a kinda background idea of Avatar: The Last Airbender to understand. If you've seen the cartoon, please proceed. 
> 
> Basically, it's this world where people are born with the power to manipulate the four classic elements: Fire, Water, Earth and Air. For this fanfic, everyone is a bender, but in the cartoon it is select people who are benders (as they're called). Also, the Fire Nation believes they are better than everyone else because they are meanies, but Katniss wants to change that. she believes water's the best element because it's healing. 
> 
> Anyway, that's the basics, now proceed :P

                “Reaping day tomorrow.” My best friends pointed out.

                “Everyone knows it is reaping day tomorrow. Six of us are going to be picked out of the hat to face off with 18 people from the 3 other nations.” I countered, sick with the idea of it.

                “You can’t call it the nations, it’s the districts. You’ve got to remember this or you’ll end up in trouble, as normal.” Gale warned me, a tone of exasperation in his voice.

                “I don’t like calling it the districts. You’ve got to stop worrying about me. I know how to not get caught.” I reassured him.

                “Yeah except you did get caught, and punished.”

                “One time I was punished. The peacekeepers are very forgiving here. They aren’t in the other two compounds.”

                “Katniss,” I knew I was in for a lecture when Gale uses my real name. “You were challenged to an Agni Kai. You’re lucky you’re here right now.”

                “That wasn’t luck. That was skill.” I boasted, trying to lighten the mood.

                “Katniss, you’ve got to stop with your care-free attitude. What if you are chosen?” Gale persisted. My temper rose.

                “Enough Gale.” I snapped. “Stop having a go at me. Look the fact is, chances are one of us is going to fight to the death in the arena. What happens in between doesn’t matter.” We fell silent for a long while as my words hung in the air. We were outside the training camp, in our favourite spot where we couldn’t be seen.

                                                                       

In our world, there are five types of people: Waterbenders, Firebenders, Earthbenders, Airbenders and peacekeeper. From an early age, benders are trained to master each element. Each element is split up into 3 compounds, miles from each other. When you are being trained, you stay in the training compound. Once you reach 18, usually, you move onto the main compound and live normally, but if you show exceptional amounts of power with your training, you go onto the master’s compound. In the master’s compound, you learn the sub-skill of your element. It’s the same for almost every element except air. For the Air Nomads, they only have two compounds: one for training the benders; and one in which everyone lives. The Nomads gain their tattoos once they’ve finished training and move to become civilians.

However, the government (a council of one representative from each element) has a stupid tradition: the games.

Children between 12 and 18 are put into a huge draw and each year the number of times your name is put in increases by one. Since I’m sixteen, my name is in 5 times and next year it’ll be six. Three boys and three girls are chosen from each element and they have to fight to the death in ‘the arena’. It’s sick! Nobody gets anything out of it! If you win, you get to go straight to the master’s compound and never have to work. That’s it!

Air has the biggest disadvantage because they are brought up to believe that every living thing, no matter how insignificant they seem, deserves to live and it’s wrong to take away their life. In the Fire Nation, we’re taught that fire is the greatest element and no one can be allowed to beat us. I don’t know what they teach in Water and Earth but it must be better than what they teach here. I don’t believe in what they tell us. Fire can’t be the greatest element. Fire is destruction. Water is life, and healing; Earth is substance and shelter; Air is freedom and tranquillity. Most of the benders in training are brutes. They think I’m a wuss because I don’t want to constantly fight them. They think I won’t last 5 minutes in the arena.

 

 


	2. Reaping Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reaping day is upon the world and it can only go from bad to worse for 24 unluckily benders.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It doesn't say Cato, Clove, Glimmer or Marvel's last name in the books so i kinda ignored them and just got on with the story. Enjoy!

Reaping day loomed and Gale and I met in the square. My little sister held my hand the whole time. She’s the dearest person in the world, my Prim. Everybody loves her and she means everything to me. On stage, the mayor lumbered up to the microphone and began the usual speech about how we are in the state we are now. It’s dreadfully boring. Next, the annoying prissy capitol escort came and pulled the male ‘tributes’ as they call them.

                “Peeta Mellark.” I’ve known him for as long as I can remember. Well, he’s always been in my training group.

                “Cato.” He’s a huge jerk, if I ever knew one. I won’t mind too much if he dies.

                “Marvel.” Ugh. He’s one half of the ‘Michael’ twins. The most ‘respected’ (arrogant) family in the Fire Nation.

Next they call out the girls.

                “Clove.” She’s vicious. Much meaner than a load of the boys.

                “Glimmer.” Double ugh. She’s the other half of the ‘Michael’ twins. I feel a bit sorry for the parents. Having both children reaped. But as far as gossip goes, they wouldn't mind too much. The last tribute is called: Primrose Everdeen. Oh God no. This isn't happening. 

She started walking towards the front but I managed to push my way in front of her. 

                “I VOLUNTEER! I VOLUNTEER AS TRIBUTE!” I shouted to the capitol escort. The air turned stagnant. 

                “Well, come up dear. What’s your name?” she asked, obviously flustered. 

                “Katniss Everdeen.” I said proudly, not regretting my actions at all. 

                “Well folks, this year’s tributes: Katniss, Peeta, Cato, Clove, Glimmer and Marvel!” We were made to shake hands with each other, and then we were all taken to separate rooms in the Justice building. 

The room was pretty bare, save a plush sofa, a small wooden table and a large carpet. I sat on the sofa and looked at the door. Prim and mum ran in, rushing over to hug me. 

                “Why did you do that?!” Prim sobbed into my shoulder. I held her close to my heart and mum held me close. 

                “I don't know.” I admitted, feeling her tears through the layers of clothing. 

                “You’ve got to win.” Prim said, leaning away from me. 

                “I'll try to.” I promised her. She reached into her pocket and took out a small loaf of bread she must have saved up for. 

                “Take this.” she said, holding it out to me. “To give you strength.” she whispered. I split a bit off and handed it back to her.

                “Thank you.” I looked Prim in the eye and saw her for what she really was: a small twelve-year old who was frightened. “Now listen to me, I want you to work as hard as you can on your firebending training. No matter what you see on that screen. Promise?” I held out my little finger. She wound her own around my pinkie and I had her word. I turned sharply to my mum. 

                “Promise me, whatever happens, you'll stay strong. No matter what you see or hear, you won’t leave Prim on her own.” the seriousness of my tone got through to her. She nodded solemnly. The remainder of the time we had together was spent in embrace. The officials came and took then away from me.


	3. Gale's Words Of Wisdom

The next person to come through was Gale.  

 

He held his arms out and I ran to embrace him. His arms folded around me and he whispered continuously in my ear. 

“Use anything you can. You can win this Katniss.” he said. I lifted my head. 

“There are twenty-four of us Gale and only one comes out.” I replied, feeling a sudden dread that wasn't present previously. He looked at me hard. 

“You’ve got the fire in your eyes again.” he observed, looking my iris. 

“That won’t help me survive.” I pointed out, despair creeping up on me. 

“Look, you'll get all the help you can ask for when you get the Capitol. Use what you were born with.” he gripped my shoulders and held me away from him, staring at me intently. I looked back at him, slowly I drew strength from his gaze and the fire in my heart blazed bright again. 

“You can do it.” Gale said, resting his forehead on mine. It wasn't to build my confidence, it was fact. I could do it; beat everyone else and come back. 

“I'll show them.” I whispered, mainly to myself. 

“You go into that arena and prove all those stuck up bitches that you can win. You're a lot stronger than them, and far more versatile. You adapt, they always use sheer force.” Gale continued, his voice fierce and passionate. He had total faith in me. At least someone did. 

“They can beat me in combat.” I said, bringing myself back down to where I belonged. 

“Then you wait 'til they're weak. Wait for the games to take effect and then you fight them.” Gale said, pulling me back into a hug. “Katniss, you will win this. I know it.” he said soothingly. I felt the steady thump of his heartbeat, rhythmic and soothing. My heartbeat stood out in the silence and I drew strength from that. 

“I'm not dead yet.” I whispered to myself. The peacekeepers came in and removed Gale, leaving my alone in the room once more. I felt heartened, I had my confidence back.  

 

The next person to walk through the door was Madge. She surprised me. We weren't really friends, I'd only really been friends with Gale, but we had stuck by each other. Somehow, we always ended up being partners with training. She's a sweet girl but she was always better off because her father was the mayor. She believed what we were taught and always fought with a fierce trait, common in the Fire nation. Despite her heritage, her heart was in the right place. She sat down next to me and spoke urgently. 

“You’re allowed a token from your nation, and I want you to have this.” she pressed a small metal object into my hand. I looked at it in astonishment. I was a little round badge with a mockingjay delicately touching the curves of the circle. Its wings barely extended from the outer edge. A small flame was engraved on its chest, symbolising a heroic soul and a fiery passion. It shone as the weak sunlight streamed in through the open window behind me. 

“It's beautiful.” I said softly, looking up at her. 

“It was my aunt's.” She told me, looking at it fondly. “Use it to give you strength.” she said, standing up as a peacekeeper opened the door. Madge got up solemnly and walked right out, not looking back. I smiled. Everyone around me had faith I could win. Maybe they were right. Maybe I could win this.


End file.
